Johnson, a 6-7 guard, has a career scoring average of 17.8 points per game and averaged 18.8 ppg last season.

Johnson, 31, is owed $89 million over the next four years, with a $19.75 salary for 2012-13. Acquiring him - assuming the Nets are able to re-sign free agent point guard Deron Williams -- would eat up a lot of salary cap space, but a later report by Wojnarowski said the Nets may be investigating the possibility of acquiring Johnson because they are losing confidence that they can trade for Orlando's Dwight Howard.

Wojnarowski's original reports said the Nets and Hawks were not close to making a deal for Johnson, but are talking with each other and other teams about multiple possibilities. The Nets currently have five players under contract, so the assets they have available to offer for Johnson are limited. Jordan Farmar, who opted into the final year of his contract today earns $4.25 million this season; Anthony Morrow, who played his college ball in Atlanta, for Georgia Tech, earns $4 million, and Johan Petro earns $3.25 million. All are in the final year of their contracts.

Nets GM Billy King and Hawks GM Danny Ferry were college teammates at Duke.